Discover The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra and how its practice supports longevity, wisdom, and awakened motivation.
On the auspicious occasion of Chötrul Düchen (the Day of Miracles), His Holiness the 42nd Sakya Trizin, Ratna Vajra Rinpoche offers a profound teaching on The Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra (Toh 849)—a scripture traditionally associated with cultivating immeasurable longevity and wisdom. Chötrul Düchen commemorates the fifteen days during which the Buddha is said to have performed a different beneficial miracle each day in Śrāvastī, a period regarded as especially powerful for spiritual practice. As His Holiness reminds us, the merit of positive actions performed during these days is greatly enhanced, making it an ideal time to reconnect with the Buddha’s words.
In the teaching, His Holiness introduces the Aparimitāyurjñāna Sūtra as a practice that is accessible to all and supports the loosening of conditions that may shorten life. Yet he emphasizes that the true power of reciting or copying sacred texts does not come from seeking worldly gain or protection alone, but from the quality of one’s motivation. When approached with loving-kindness, bodhicitta, and the aspiration for liberation, engaging with this sūtra becomes a meaningful path for strengthening virtue, accumulating merit, and turning the mind toward awakening.
His Holiness also reflects on a reminder central to the Buddha’s teachings: while human life is precious and rare, it is also fragile and impermanent. Practices connected to longevity, he explains, are ultimately meant to support what matters most—inner freedom, compassion, and the steady cultivation of wisdom—rather than attachment to the body or fear of change.
The teaching concludes with the traditional oral transmission of the text, offered in Tibetan, helping to preserve the living lineage of this practice and ensuring it remains available for future generations.
His Holiness Ratna Vajra Sakya is the 42nd throne holder of the Sakya tradition of Tibetan Buddhism, renowned for his erudition and clarity in transmitting authentic Buddhist teachings worldwide.
